All too often, clients come to me with investment ideas they like. Some are good and some are not so good, but many of them are complex. As humans, we are often seduced by complexity, as though the more glamorous or intricate an investment instrument is, the better it must be. Why own a set of simple and low cost index funds when you can buy a hedge fund? Why buy and hold when you can trade actively? Is the market falling? Why not short some stocks?! Just think of the possibilities!

Does everyone need a Financial Advisor? No. not everyone needs a Financial Advisor. But have you ever wondered how you would know if you needed one or not?

Add this to the long list of things I hear that drive me crazy: “Financial Planning is just for rich people.” Let me say it louder for the people in the back: In general, you don’t become rich (or wealthy) without planning to do so. I understand that you may be skeptical, so please allow me to break down my passionate argument for the value of Financial Planning in your long march toward wealth.

The New Year often brings thoughts of getting back in shape — getting fit. Yes, I know that usually means physically…but why not financially? Thing is, few of us know what it really means to be financially fit. And even fewer of us know how to get there. This article will cover the five key elements of financial fitness and how to achieve them.

We live in an age of self-service. We ring up our own groceries, do our own taxes, shop for our own insurance, book our own vacations, and invest our own savings. The innovations that allow us to do these things have led to lower costs for providers and consumers, making these goods and services cheaper to consume and thus more widely available. I believe that this is a good thing.

Part II in a my three part series on Behavioral Finance. By simply being aware of our own potentially flawed thinking and vulnerability to emotional biases, we can check ourselves in real time to see if we might be on the verge of a poor decision. However, I suggest you do some legwork to set yourself up for success.